Why Don't We Take a Walk First

sometime when i was 16
my father asked me to take a ride with him
i sat in the passenger seat
submerging myself in the tan interior
of the big Dodge Diplomat
hanging my arm out of the window
while dad drove
cigarette hanging from his lips
we stopped at the liquor store
and he bought himself a tall can
and a carton of eggs
then we pulled off to the side of the parking lot
and we both got out
"i'm going to teach you how to drive"
"okay"
shit i thought
i was extremely nervous
first off because i was a nervous kid
that's about it
i was a nervous kid
i am a nervous kid
i got in and he leaned over and buckled me up
cigarette still hanging from his lips
he took the eggs and placed them in two paper bags
one bag he placed between my chest and the seat belt
the other he placed between my legs
as he got in the passenger seat, he cracked his beer
instructions were given
the part i remember most was this:
"i want to you drive slow, get used to her, feel her in your finger tips, once you have that in you and it feels natural, press the gas a bit, feel it out, let it open up, speed up.. but always remember those eggs. the eggs between your legs. protect your nuts. don't be a turkey."

i drove home tonight with a paper bag full of eggs between my legs
and didn't even think about them being there
it felt natural
i appreciate it when the pure things in life
come natural
it's as if the universe is smiling down on me
nodding its head
saying
"hey man, you're alright"
damn right